Real Madrid sweat on Camavinga fitness for Man City - Ceballos tipped to start vs Celta

Eduardo Camavinga is pushing to be ready for Manchester City next week, but the expectation is he will not feature against Celta Vigo, where Dani Ceballos is lined up to start. From a rival standpoint, this is a headache Madrid cannot massage away in three or four light sessions. Even if he makes the City squad, sharpness is a different story. Ancelotti may gamble late, but the margins against Guardiola are ruthless. Celta on Sunday looks like a rotation bridge that exposes Madrid's midfield depth and rhythm just days before their biggest European test of the month.

Madrid-based reports indicate Camavinga is targeting the City clash after a cautious medical assessment, with the staff prioritizing controlled workload and no risk against Celta. Internal planning points to Dani Ceballos starting on Sunday, while midfield rotations around Aurélien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde are being rehearsed to preserve balance ahead of Europe. The message from Valdebebas is cautious optimism, but the timetable remains tight.

🚨 Eduardo Camavinga will try to be ready for the game against City next week. It's unlikely he will play on Sunday against Celta Vigo – Dani Ceballos could start. @diarioas

@MadridXtra

Impact Analysis

From a rival press box view, this is the kind of disruption Madrid hate: a key connector in and out of possession stuck between rehab and risk. Camavinga gives Ancelotti elasticity - the ability to move line height, sprint out of pressure, and reset tempo with one touch from the half-space. Remove that and the passing map tilts toward Bellingham drop-ins and Valverde shuttles, which City read well. If Ceballos starts against Celta, Madrid gain control but lose bite. He will recycle possession, not rip through lines. That is music to opponents who want the game played at arm's length.

Physically, you do not go from protective training to peak City intensity in 72 to 96 hours. He might pass a fitness test, but match hardness is the gap. Expect hesitancy in first contacts and a beat slower on recovery runs. Rival analysis rooms I speak to rate his setback window longer than the optimistic noise - closer to two weeks to look like himself, not two days. That is the real cost: either Madrid risk him undercooked against City, or they admit the engine room loses its best accelerator and transition extinguisher. Either way, advantage opponents in midfield control and second-ball recovery.

Reaction

Online reaction split in predictable ways. Some Madrid voices tried to laugh it off, joking that Ceballos will grab the Sunday spotlight while Camavinga enjoys a slower ramp up. Others pushed the hype button for City, claiming it will be a movie - or that he is not good enough for that stage. The mix of nerves and bravado is classic pre-Europe week energy.

A sizable group just want a quick recovery and no risk this weekend. You could feel the relief that the issue is not catastrophic, coupled with a reminder that Camavinga's last couple months have looked sharper and more influential. Doubters resurfaced too, pointing at 2025 and asking if Ceballos still fits the modern Madrid midfield. That question says a lot about the trust gap behind the starters.

From a rival angle, the tone reads like a fanbase trying to talk injuries into submission. Hope, jokes, then a quiet check of the calendar. The undercurrent is simple: if Camavinga is anything less than 100 percent, City will press the bruise. The fact that supporters are already pre-justifying a conservative Sunday tells you they know it.

Social reactions

Ceballos😭😭😭😭 in big 2025

⚽️ (@Rmaballfc)

Dani ceballos man, play Rodrygo in the CAM Jude and tchouemeni behind them

Adam (@AdamAyu47706823)

It's great to know that Camavinga injury wasn't anything serious. Esp when hes been picking up momemtum and been playing great these past 2 months.

Jonnis (@rma_jonnis)

Prediction

Celta first: expect Madrid to manage minutes with Ceballos from the start, Valverde as the runner, and Tchouameni anchoring. It will look neat, not explosive. If the scoreboard behaves, Ancelotti will protect legs and keep substitutions tight. A narrow Madrid win without fireworks is the chalk outcome.

City next: two scenarios. Conservative Madrid keep Camavinga on the bench and release him for a 15 to 25 minute cameo only if game state demands it. The alternative is a forced start that lasts 55 to 65 minutes, then an early change once the meters in his legs top out. Guardiola will target Madrid's left interior channel with Bernardo and Foden drifting into Rodri's launch lanes, forcing Valverde to cover two fires at once.

My rival-side call: Madrid blink first. They name Camavinga in the squad, talk of a late test, then either scratch him or limit him to a late cameo. If he is pushed, the re-aggravation risk is real and could stretch this into a 2 to 3 week drag, clipping Madrid through the next league swing. The cleanest path is patience, which is exactly what a restless fanbase hates.

Latest today

• Mohamed Salah questions Liverpool future after benching vs Leeds - Saudi links intensify
• Wolves line up Patrik Mercado as Jhon Arias succession plan, non-homegrown slot set to ope...
• Barcelona optimistic on Marcus Rashford stay as Hansi Flick pushes for permanent move
• Real Madrid set to open talks with Antonio Rüdiger - optimism high for new deal

Conclusion

Strip the spin and you see a simple picture. Madrid need Camavinga for City, but the calendar does not care. Rush him and you get a half-version that City will isolate. Hold him and you concede some control in a midfield battle that often decides these ties. That is why the club is telegraphing caution for Celta and keeping every option alive for midweek.

From across the aisle, this is a momentum break opponents were waiting for. Without Camavinga at full tilt, Madrid lose their best antidote to sudden pressure and their quickest route out of traps on the left. The safer, smarter plan is easing him in, even if it dents the aura for a night. The harsh truth is that elite games punish rust more than absence. Expect a tight rope walk, a conservative Sunday, and a City plan that dares Madrid to gamble on fitness rather than form. If that happens, advantage rivals - on the pitch and on the clock.